Mates of State, ‘Re-Arrange Us’ (Barsuk)

These proud parents ditched their old-timey organ, and with it much of the band’s hyper-active, carnivalesque vibe. About time, too: Adorned with piano and synth, the ten songs on Re-Arrange Us are fuller, more elegant vessels for the duo’s warm, intricate melodies. They’ve found a way to stay joyous while singing about married neuroses and thirty-something regret: Don’t be shocked if the album’s thesis — “Love loud / Don’t lose loud” — shows up in hipster wedding vows.

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Will Butler has always been an outlier. As Arcade Fire's second-most-famous Butler, he's always made being weird seem just as alluring as fitting in. During the band's live shows, the multi-hyphenate artist (synthesizer, bass, guitar, clarinet, and hell, even the glockenspiel) avoids the spotlight while throwing out enough manic energy — howling in one moment,… More »